The new vice-president for Kentucky Fried Chicken in southeast Asia, must weigh the growth benefits of investing in China with alternative opportunities in the region. He is at the exploratory stage of market research and is focusing his attention on four possible locations in China. He must also balance his own personal ambitions with the possibilities for failure, not only in China, but the rest of southeast Asia.

Presents the start-up of operations in Beijing and discusses the difficulties Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is having with its local partners. By March 1988, KFC has established its largest restaurant in the world in Beijing, with sales that are booming and showing no sign of slowing down. Nevertheless, the extent of operational problems and the shortage of hard currency profits are raising concerns over whether further expansion is warranted.

Describes the efforts of Tony Wang to determine whether and how to proceed with an emerging three-way partnership in China. Kentucky Fried Chicken has selected local partners and has been issued a license to operate a restaurant in Beijing. If he is to proceed, Wang must decide how fast he should advance the negotiations and which of three location sites in the city is most desirable.

Tony Wang, the new vice president for Kentucky Fried Chicken in Southeast Asia, must weigh the benefits of investing in China against alternative opportunities in the region. Wang is at the exploratory stage of market research and is focusing his attention on four possible locations in China. He must also balance his own personal ambitions with the possibilities for failure, not only in China, but the rest of Southeast Asia.